Media Invitation

The Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Sweden and Egypt will co-chair the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in support of UNRWA. The aim is to actively support a collective response by the international community to protect the rights and dignity of Palestinian Refugees and ensure that UNRWA’s unprecedented funding deficit of US$ 446 million is urgently resolved.

The Extraordinary Ministerial Conference will includespecial attendance of the UN Secretary-General, Mr Antonio Guterres, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Federica Mogherini.

The Conference calls on the international community to join in a clear demonstration of concrete international support for UNRWA’s vital humanitarian efforts on behalf of Palestinian refugees, which is also an important contribution to stability in the region. The Conference itself is not open to press.

Media opportunities:

09.15-09.25, Sheikh Zayed Media Centre
Photo opportunity with brief statements made by Conference Co-Chairs Jordan, Sweden and Egypt and UNRWA Commissioner-General.

09.30-09.47, Green Room
Press is invited to cover the key note statement of the UN Secretary-General, and to photo opportunity of conference podium with FAO Director General, Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Sweden, Egypt, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and UNRWA Commissioner General.

12.30-13.00 Sheikh Zayed Media Centre

Press conference with H.E. Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, the Co-Chairs H.E. Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, H.E. Margot Wallström, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and H.E. Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, and Pierre Krähenbühl, UNRWA Commissioner General.

The press conference will be webcast at: http://www.fao.org/webcast/en/ (in Arabic, English, and Italian)

In view of time limitation, timing will be strict. Please come in good time in advance.

For media accreditation please send a scan of a valid press card or letter of assignment on company stationery, plus photo ID, to: [email protected] before 1700h on Tuesday 13 March. See also

/media-invitation-extraordinary-ministerial-conference

Journalists who need further information, are invited to contact UNRWA Spokesperson, Chris Gunness, [email protected]

UNRWA

(United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to over 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full human potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services include education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.

It is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals. More info United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Middle East

Media Invitation